Post by Infinity Blade on May 29, 2016 3:12:58 GMT 5
Brachychampsa spp.
Reconstruction of Brachychampsa based off of the skeletal of Scott Hartman. © @ DeviantArt user Biarmosuchus
Temporal range: Late Cretaceous-Early Paleocene (Campanian-Danian; ~83.5-63.3Ma)
Scientific classification:
Life
Domain: Eukaryota
(unranked): Unikonta
(unranked): Opisthokonta
(unranked): Holozoa
(unranked): Filozoa
Kingdom: Animalia
Subkingdom: Eumetazoa
(unranked): Bilateria
Clade: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Olfactores
Clade: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Clade: Eugnathostomata
Clade: Teleostomi
Superclass: Tetrapoda
Clade: Reptiliomorpha
Clade: Amniota
Class: Reptilia or Clade: Sauropsida
Clade: Eureptilia
Clade: Romeriida
Clade: Diapsida
Clade: Neodiapsida
Clade: Archelosauria
Clade: Archosauromorpha
Clade: Archosauriformes
Clade: Crurotarsi
Clade: Archosauria
Clade: Crurotarsi
Clade: Archosauria
Clade: Pseudosuchia
Clade: Suchia
Clade: Paracrocodylomorpha
Clade: Loricata
Clade: Bathyotica
Superorder: Crocodylomorpha
Clade: Crocodyliformes
Clade: Mesoeucrocodylia
Clade: Metasuchia
Clade: Neosuchia
Clade: Eusuchia
Order: Crocodilia
Clade: Brevirostres
Superfamily: Alligatoroidea
Clade: Globidonta
Genus: †Brachychampsa
Species: †B. montana
†B. perrugosus
Brachychampsa is an extinct genus of alligatoroid that lived in North America from the Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous to the Danian stage of the Paleocene epoch of the Cenozoic.
Range:
Brachychampsa remains have been found in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana, Wyoming, New Jersey, South Dakota, Colorado, New Mexico, Coahuila, and possibly Baja California.[1]
Description and habits:
The dentary and dentition of Brachychampsa are the most robust of any alligatoroid alive or extinct. The symphysis was powerfully-constructed as well.[2] Although the anterior dentition was pointed as in living crocodilians, the posterior teeth had a cap-like tip that was ill-suiting for puncturing but perfectly designed for crushing hard objects. It is therefore likely that Brachychampsa would have been particularly well-equipped for preying and feeding on animals like turtles.[2]
Survival:
Since Brachychampsa is known from Cenozoic rock deposits, it survived the K-Pg extinction event. However, it is not known what then caused it to go extinct.
References:
[1] Rivera-Silva, H.E.; Carpenter, K.; Frey, E. (2014). Dinosaurs and other Reptiles from the Mesozoic of Mexico. Indiana University Press.
[2] Carpenter, K; Lindsey, D. (1980). The Dentary of Brachychampsa montana Gilmore (Alligatorinae; Crocodylidae), A Late Cretaceous Turtle-Eating Alligator. Journal of Paleontology.
Reconstruction of Brachychampsa based off of the skeletal of Scott Hartman. © @ DeviantArt user Biarmosuchus
Temporal range: Late Cretaceous-Early Paleocene (Campanian-Danian; ~83.5-63.3Ma)
Scientific classification:
Life
Domain: Eukaryota
(unranked): Unikonta
(unranked): Opisthokonta
(unranked): Holozoa
(unranked): Filozoa
Kingdom: Animalia
Subkingdom: Eumetazoa
(unranked): Bilateria
Clade: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Olfactores
Clade: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Clade: Eugnathostomata
Clade: Teleostomi
Superclass: Tetrapoda
Clade: Reptiliomorpha
Clade: Amniota
Class: Reptilia or Clade: Sauropsida
Clade: Eureptilia
Clade: Romeriida
Clade: Diapsida
Clade: Neodiapsida
Clade: Archelosauria
Clade: Archosauromorpha
Clade: Archosauriformes
Clade: Crurotarsi
Clade: Archosauria
Clade: Crurotarsi
Clade: Archosauria
Clade: Pseudosuchia
Clade: Suchia
Clade: Paracrocodylomorpha
Clade: Loricata
Clade: Bathyotica
Superorder: Crocodylomorpha
Clade: Crocodyliformes
Clade: Mesoeucrocodylia
Clade: Metasuchia
Clade: Neosuchia
Clade: Eusuchia
Order: Crocodilia
Clade: Brevirostres
Superfamily: Alligatoroidea
Clade: Globidonta
Genus: †Brachychampsa
Species: †B. montana
†B. perrugosus
Brachychampsa is an extinct genus of alligatoroid that lived in North America from the Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous to the Danian stage of the Paleocene epoch of the Cenozoic.
Range:
Brachychampsa remains have been found in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana, Wyoming, New Jersey, South Dakota, Colorado, New Mexico, Coahuila, and possibly Baja California.[1]
Description and habits:
The dentary and dentition of Brachychampsa are the most robust of any alligatoroid alive or extinct. The symphysis was powerfully-constructed as well.[2] Although the anterior dentition was pointed as in living crocodilians, the posterior teeth had a cap-like tip that was ill-suiting for puncturing but perfectly designed for crushing hard objects. It is therefore likely that Brachychampsa would have been particularly well-equipped for preying and feeding on animals like turtles.[2]
Survival:
Since Brachychampsa is known from Cenozoic rock deposits, it survived the K-Pg extinction event. However, it is not known what then caused it to go extinct.
References:
[1] Rivera-Silva, H.E.; Carpenter, K.; Frey, E. (2014). Dinosaurs and other Reptiles from the Mesozoic of Mexico. Indiana University Press.
[2] Carpenter, K; Lindsey, D. (1980). The Dentary of Brachychampsa montana Gilmore (Alligatorinae; Crocodylidae), A Late Cretaceous Turtle-Eating Alligator. Journal of Paleontology.
